Refrigerator-car.



J. D. STEWART. REFRIGERATOR GAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1906.

PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1958.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

1 [NI/ENTOR I Altomeyl.

L D. STEWART. BATENTED SEPT. 11, 1908,

REFRIGERATOR GAR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 29, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' Allornejz! UNITED STATES JAMES D. STEWART, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

REFRIGERATOR-CAR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed. March 29, 1906. Serial No. 308,723.

Patented Sept. 1, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns D. STEWART, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Refrigerator-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention or system is intended principally for refrigerator cars, but it is also applicable to cold storage houses and for household purposes.

In this invention an important feature is the employment of a double wall or casing which surrounds the ice chamber so as to form a jacket within which is placed insulating material in fluid form.

A fan device is used for taking out the surplus air or wet air so as to provide a dryair system of refrigeration. It has been found that dampness without regard to temperature is a great disadvantage in effectually refrigerating a car or other structure. In the means that I employ I produce a practically dry refrigeration of the structure or car. It will, lso be noticed that the cold air is not directly from the ice, thus avoiding dampness. This result is obtained by a system or series of pipes or flues running through the ice chambers, the air from which is afterwardsdistributed at the top of the ear or cooling room. Fans are also employed to force the air through the fines and out through the upper pipes. n

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a refrigerating ear. Fig.2 is a vertical cross section of the car or refrigerator on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan of the hot or used air suction pipes. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the double casing or jacket.

In the drawings, 1.0 refers to a car struc ture for refrigerating purposes having a cooling room or chamber 11 in which the meats, foods, or fruit may be placed or stored. This is provided with walls 11, roof 11 and floor 11. These may be constructed in any well known manner as commonly employed in refrigerator cars. Instead of a car, the structure may be a room or box for refrigerating purposes.

12 refers to the ice chamber or ice boxes, two being employed in cars, one being at each end thereof. Each chamber has walls 12 and an interior insulating jacket 13, which consists of two casings 13 and 13 of metal, so as to provide a space 13 between, which contains the insulating fluid 14.

13 are pipes, provided with valves 13 and are for discharging the drip or water from the ice.

' 16 are vertical cold air flues extending through the ice chambers and having tapered sides. These lines lead from an air chamber 15 extending across the car beneath each ice chamber 12. The fines 16-are connected at their upper ends to horizontal pipes 16 which run across the car or cooling room 11 near the top thereof and are provided with perforations 16 through which the cold air escapes.

17 are slides or dampers at the bottom of the Hues 16, for regulating the amount of air entering the fines or for cutting off the same.

18 are small pipes for supplying air or returning same from the cooling room 11 to the lines 16.

12 are doors on top of the car for supplying ice to the chamber 12 and these doors have vents 12 Each air chamber 15 is provided with a door 15 opening into the car and which may be used in addition to the pipes 18, to regulate the supply or return of air into said chamber. Fans 20 are located in the chambers 15, and are intended for forcing air through the cooling fines 16 and out through the pipes 16. These fans may be operated by any suitable mechanism and when used in a car I preferably make connections to the car axle. As shown, this consists of a pulley 21 on the axle, having a belt 21 which drives a pulley 21 on a shaft 21. This is provided with a wheel 21 having a rubber face which may be eorrugatedor provided with blunt cogs. This wheel has a spring 21 and an adjusting collar 21 so as to regulate its pressure against a wheel 21 on a vertical shaft 21 extending through the car floor and having a friction wheel or gear 21 which drives a wheel .21 on the shaft of the fan 20.

22 is a drip pipe.

23 are pipes arranged horizontally in the top of the car for collecting the used or warm air at the top of the car or cooling room 11. I preferably employ for suction purposes, a central exhaust tube 24 into which the air tubes 23 lead, these tubes being divergent 24 is a rubber disk check valve opening upwardly, in the tube 24; 24 is a rod having a thumb screw and nut for holding said va ve in place.

Mounted pivotally on top of the tube 24 is a tubular vane 25 provided with fan blades 26 on a shaft 27 having a screw 27 a for exhausting the air. Thus when the device is applied to a car, the movement of the car rotatesthe blades 26, which turn the screw and thus exhaust the warm air from the top of the car.

The operation in general of this refrigerating system, is as follows: The solution is placed in the double casing or jacket 13. The ice is then placed in the ice chamber 12. The slides 17 may be adjusted to suit the circulation of air passing through the flues 16'. The air which is taken from the bottom of the cooling chamber is cooled in the flues 16.

- It then entersthe pipes 16 and is distributed at top of the room 11 by means of said ipes. To exhaust any warm air or moisture employ the exhaust tubes 23, 24, as already mentioned. v

It will be noticed especially in regard to this invention that the cooling air in assing throughthe pipes through the ice-c amber has no communication or direct contact with the ice, but is distributed in a dry condition.

This avoids dampness, which, even if the temperature is low, causes a deterioration of the goods or food While in transit. Another I item of economy is the'saving in the amount or single metal wa very beneficial to all food products, such as meat, fruits and vegetables, so at the end. of the trip there are no trimmings to be made nor any waste. The water from the melted ice is drawn 0H only when it becomes necessary to refill the tank.

claim: 4

In a refrigerator car, an exhaust a paratus for warm air comprising a plura ity of converging pipes, a vertical tube extending through the top of the carand to which the pipes are connected, a check valve in the tu e, a hollowvane connected to the top of the tube and having therein a screw, and a fan at the front of the vane, and connected to the screw, and adapted to rotate .the same and exhaust the air.

In testimony whereof'I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES D. STEWART.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. WRAIK, DELLA M; SELovER. 

